Marcellus Drilling News

Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Ohio | Regulation | Statewide OH

Muskingum Watershed Taken to Court by Anti-Frackers (Yawn)
October 3, 2013October 3, 2013

MDN has long chronicled the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District’s (MWCD) challenges with selling a relative thimble-full of its vast water supplies to Utica Shale drillers. Not only are they now selling water, they’ve leased a good number of acres for drilling–some of it under lakes and reservoirs. That really ticks off the eco-nuts.

Anti-frackers have thrown tantrums and have done their darnedest to stop the MWCD from allowing drilling and from selling water to frackers–for a time they even bullied them into a retreat (see Muskingum Watershed Reverses Decision to Sell Water to Drillers)–but ultimately the anti-frackers have failed. So now it’s off to court to see if they can convince a liberal judge somewhere to put the breaks on progress in Ohio…
Read More “Muskingum Watershed Taken to Court by Anti-Frackers (Yawn)”
East Resources | Energy Companies | Shell | SWEPI

Russian Spinmeisters Talk Down American Shale, Makes Us Laugh
October 3, 2013October 3, 2013

Russia hates the American shale revolution because it threatens their worldwide dominance in natural gas, and it threatens their ability to threaten others with it. Vlad Putin has long poo-pooed our shale reserves as nothing more than a flash in the pan. So we found it amusing to read the story (below) from the Voice of Russia Radio network that tries to spin Shell’s recent exit from some of its holdings into a story about oil and gas companies are “losing interest” in American shale. Yeah right! We had to pick ourselves up off the floor after laughing so hard.

Uh, VOR, have you ever heard of the wholly-owned Shell subsidiary called SWEPI? It stands for Shell Western Exploration and Production Inc. Oh, and East Resources? Yeah, Shell bought them. Shell now owns 850,000 acres in the Marcellus Shale play–#2 behind Chesapeake’s 1.8 million acres. So please, tell us again how Shell is abandoning American shale plays–we need another good laugh!…
Read More “Russian Spinmeisters Talk Down American Shale, Makes Us Laugh”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Oct 3, 2013
October 3, 2013October 3, 2013

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:
Read More “Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Oct 3, 2013”
Accidents | Blue Racer Midstream | Caiman Energy | Dominion Energy | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | Processing Plants | Rex Energy | West Virginia

Natrium, WV Fractionation Plant Still Closed After Explosion/Fire
October 2, 2013October 2, 2013

As MDN previously reported, an explosion and fire was reported at the Blue Racer Midstream’s Natrium, WV natural gas processing plant early Saturday on Sept. 21 (see Explosion/Fire at Blue Racer’s Natrium, WV Processing Plant). It’s a week and a half later and the plant, which both processes or separates wet gas and further fractionates it into its component compounds remains closed while an investigation continues. WV officials and the plant’s owners (Blue Racer is owned by Dominion and Caiman Energy II) still don’t know what caused the explosion and fire.

Meanwhile, at least one Natrium customer has found an alternative source to process their wet gas…
Read More “Natrium, WV Fractionation Plant Still Closed After Explosion/Fire”
Belmont County | Energy Companies | Lease & Royalty Payments | Ohio | Rice Energy | Utica Shale

Rice Pays Belmont County Higher Signing Bonus than Landowners
October 2, 2013October 2, 2013

Rice Drilling is betting big on Belmont County, OH. County commissioners recently signed a sweet deal with Rice Drilling for 406 acres of county-owned land. The lease terms were $7,500 per acre signing bonus and a 20% royalty. That delivers just over $3 million to the county coffers, plus a lot more when the gas begins to flow.

The county deal is, however, sweeter than other recent contracts signed by Rice in the area–contracts between Rice and more than 1,000 landowners in Belmont County. Those leases resulted in payments from Rice for more than $236 million! But area landowners got “just” $5,900 per acre from Rice for a signing bonus…
Read More “Rice Pays Belmont County Higher Signing Bonus than Landowners”
American Energy Utica | Energy Companies | Guernsey County | Harrison County | Ohio | Tuscarawas County | Utica Shale

McClendon’s Utica Company Does JV with OH Driller, Drilling Soon
October 2, 2013October 2, 2013

Yesterday MDN brought you the news that former Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon had started a second company specifically created to target the Utica Shale (see Aubrey McClendon Forms Utica Company, Gets Major Investor). In true Aubrey “wheeling and dealing” fashion, his new company, called American Energy Utica, is already forming joint ventures with other companies in the Utica Shale. One of those companies is Red Hill Development, an independent oil & gas driller located in Dover (Tuscawaras County), OH.

Red Hill Development is tickled pink to be working with McClendon and says the partnership will be an ongoing venture “for many years to come.” According to Red Hill, the new joint venture is already applying for permits and will begin drilling by the end of this year. The focus of their drilling efforts? Guernsey and Harrison counties…
Read More “McClendon’s Utica Company Does JV with OH Driller, Drilling Soon”
Economic Impact | Ethane | Industrywide Issues | Processing Plants | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV Gov Going to Europe to Find Him a Cracker
October 2, 2013October 2, 2013

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin is nothing if not persistent. For several years, the governor and his trusty Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette have been talking about landing an ethane cracker plant for WV (see WV Gov. Tomblin Beats the Ethane Cracker Drum Once Again). MDN is pulling for them! We have been for a long time. And it seems every few months we see a story along the lines of, “Just hold on, it’s a comin'”. But it never seems to.

So if a cracker investment is not coming to WV, Gov. Tomblin is going out to find it! He’s heading off to Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy on a European ~~vacation~~ trade mission in October to thank those countries for investing in WV, and to invite them to invest more. In particular, he’d like someone to invest in a cracker plant…
Read More “WV Gov Going to Europe to Find Him a Cracker”
Chesapeake Energy | Columbiana County | Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Mahoning County | Ohio | Regulation

Salem, OH Votes Down Ordinance to Restrict Drilling in City
October 2, 2013October 2, 2013

In July 2012, the city of Salem, OH signed a lease with Chesapeake Energy to allow drilling on 381 acres of city-owned land (land outside city limits). Terms of the lease: $7,000 signing bonus and 20% royalties (see Salem, OH to Sign Lease Deal with Chesapeake for $7K+20%). It probably wouldn’t send the right signal to turn around and pass a law that would prevent drilling inside city limits after signing a lease and accepting millions of dollars. Yet, such a law was under serious consideration by Salem City Council.

Tuesday night, City Council wisely chose to vote down a proposed zoning amendment that would have prevented drilling inside city limits…
Read More “Salem, OH Votes Down Ordinance to Restrict Drilling in City”
Energy Companies | Hess | Industrywide Issues | Jefferson County (OH) | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Ohio | Statewide OH

Hess Loses OH Court Case, May Owe Big Bucks to 300 Landowners
October 2, 2013October 2, 2013

Hess has just lost a court case in Ohio that may end up costing the company dearly. Hess had purchased leases in eastern Ohio from other companies. The original leases date to 2006-2008 and in many cases the landowners were paid as little as $10 per acre for a signing bonus–absolutely peanuts compared to today’s rates for $5K or more per acre. A Jefferson County landowner sued Hess to get out of his lease agreement because the company had not drilled on his property. Hess argued provisions in the lease let them extend the lease by paying a nominal extra fee.

Hess lost, and now will have to pay that landowner (and by extension around 300 other landowners) big re-signing bonuses or risk losing the land…
Read More “Hess Loses OH Court Case, May Owe Big Bucks to 300 Landowners”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Wed, Oct 2, 2013
October 2, 2013October 2, 2013

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:
Read More “Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Wed, Oct 2, 2013”
American Energy Partners | American Energy Utica | EMG | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Aubrey McClendon Forms Utica Company, Gets Major Investor
October 1, 2013October 1, 2013

As MDN has said before and will no doubt say again, we believe Chesapeake Energy will rue the day they fired its founder, Aubrey McClendon. Just a few short months after being tossed out the door by board member and corporate raider Carl Icahn, McClendon founded a new company and was already active in Ohio’s Utica Shale (see He’s Baaaack! Aubrey McClendon is Back in OH Shale Country). His new company, with offices about a mile from Chesapeake’s HQ in Oklahoma City, is called American Energy Partners.

Word has leaked once again from “inside sources” that McClendon has now founded a second company, this one specifically set up to target the Utica Shale. The new company is called American Energy Utica and is being backed with big money by a prominent player in the energy space…
Read More “Aubrey McClendon Forms Utica Company, Gets Major Investor”
Access Midstream Partners | Energy Companies | Energy Services | EV Energy Partners | Hilcorp Energy | Industrywide Issues | M3 Midstream | NGLs | NiSource | Pennant Midstream | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Utica East Ohio Midstream

NiSource & M3 Do a Deal to Process/Sell NGLs in Eastern Ohio
October 1, 2013October 1, 2013

An important announcement yesterday for drillers (and landowners) in the northern portion of the Ohio Utica Shale play: Pennant Midstream announced they are building a 38-mile natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline from the Pennant-owned Hickory Bend cryogenic processing plant (in Mahoning County, OH) to the Utica East Ohio Midstream-owned Kensington cryogenic processing plant (in Columbiana County, OH). Pennant says initially they will ship 90,000 barrels per day through the new pipeline.

Why is Pennant with its own processing plant sending NGLs to another (competitor’s) processing plant? Good question…
Read More “NiSource & M3 Do a Deal to Process/Sell NGLs in Eastern Ohio”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Williams

Williams Asks FERC to Approve $610M Transco SE Pipeline Expansion
October 1, 2013October 1, 2013

Previously MDN told you that Williams was holding an “open season” to gauge interest in expanding capacity on their Transco pipeline system to carry cheap Marcellus and Utica Shale natural gas from the northeast to the southeast (see Open Season to Expand Transco Pipeline in PA Marcellus). Drillers didn’t waste any time and the project is now “fully subscribed”–meaning all of the new increased capacity is now spoken for. So yesterday, Williams made a formal application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to expand the Transco–a project they call the Leidy Southeast expansion project.

Williams plans to spend $610 million, which includes laying 30 miles of new pipeline and upgrading compressor plants along the way…
Read More “Williams Asks FERC to Approve $610M Transco SE Pipeline Expansion”
Energy Companies | EV Energy Partners | Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

EVEP CEO Mark Houser Discusses Utica Shale Strategy, Future
October 1, 2013October 1, 2013

Mark Houser, president and CEO of EV Energy Partners, presented at the IPAA Oil and Gas Investment Symposium yesterday in San Francisco. Below are portions of his talk dealing with EVEP’s Utica Shale assets and strategy. Also below is the PowerPoint presentation he used, which contains some great maps and charts dealing with the Utica. In particular take a look at slides #8 through #18. Don’t miss the close-up pictures of UEO’s Kensington and Harrison plants.

If we could “net net” summarize what Houser said about the Utica and the role it will play in the company’s future, it’s in line with our previous observations, which is…
Read More “EVEP CEO Mark Houser Discusses Utica Shale Strategy, Future”
Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Eureka Midstream | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Statewide OH | Statewide PA

Magnum Hunter CEO Gary Evans Charts a Marcellus/Utica Future
October 1, 2013October 1, 2013

Gary Evans, CEO of Magnum Hunter, presented at the IPAA Oil and Gas Investment Symposium yesterday in San Francisco. He did a deep dive into MH’s Marcellus and Utica Shale operations and plans moving forward. Evans said the company now owns 490,000 net acres in the northeast (Appalachia) with 81,000 net acres in the Marcellus Shale and 80,000 net acres in the Utica Shale. They have investments and operations in both drilling and in the midstream (pipelines) segment via subsidiary Eureka Hunter.

Below are Evans’ comments from yesterday along with a PowerPoint presentation which we believe is likely the one he used (or very similar to the one he used). Slides #13-#27 cover the Marcellus and Utica–well worth your time to review, some great maps and charts. Also included, a nifty picture of MH’s new robotic drilling rig (slide #26)…
Read More “Magnum Hunter CEO Gary Evans Charts a Marcellus/Utica Future”
Energy Companies | Gastar Exploration | Marshall County | Utica Shale | West Virginia | Wetzel County

Gastar CEO Porter Outlines Brighter Future in WV Marcellus/Utica
October 1, 2013October 1, 2013

J. Russell Porter, president and CEO of Gastar Exploration, presented at the Johnson Rice 2013 Energy Conference yesterday in New Orleans. Last year at this time Gastar was facing a major lawsuit and a dark future. Porter points out in his opening remarks that the $120 million lawsuit against them was settled this past year–for $1 million–and the future today is much brighter. Gastar concentrates in two shale plays: the Hunton Limestone Oil play (in Oklahoma and Texas), and the Marcellus (in West Virginia). The company has concentrated their efforts on the Marcellus for the past couple of years.

Below are Porter’s comments concerning the Marcellus/Utica, giving us insight into where Gastar is now, and where they hope to go, along with the PowerPoint presentation he used during his talk. Slides #10-#16 are related to the Marcellus/Utica. What caught our eye: During the second half of next year (2H14) Gastar plans to drill its first Utica well–in WV, not Ohio…
Read More “Gastar CEO Porter Outlines Brighter Future in WV Marcellus/Utica”